1. Field
This invention is directed to a molding apparatus for forming objects from a heat melted material and particularly to an apparatus and method for producing frangible targets.
2. State of the Art
As the popularity of trap shooting continues to increase, the need for a more economical means for mass producing frangible targets becomes increasingly more important. The frangible clay targets currently in use have gained broad acceptance among trap shooters. These clay targets are designed to be projected from a mechanical throwing arm which imparts a rapid spinning motion to the target during flight. The targets are unique from the standpoint that they are designed to not only withstand stresses of projection and flight but also are designed to break on impact from preferably a single shot pellet.
The popularity of the sport of trap shooting is evidenced by a recent study which has shown that in excess of one billion clay targets are destroyed annually by shooters in the United States alone. In addition, another one-half to one hundred million are broken during transit from the manufacturing plants to the consumer. This high loss of breakage is due primarily to the target's frangible characteristics and their inability to withstand even the slightest shock or stress. Although a large number of frangible targets are still being produced by hand presses, automatic molding machines such as that reported in U.S. Pat. No. 2,300,290 have proven quite successful for relatively large manufacturing operations. However, for on-site, sporadic use, such machines have been found to be economically impractical from both a capital investment and operational standpoint.